1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sprint vehicle suspension systems incorporating an air bag in lieu of springs, torsion bars or a coil-over design. This application further modifies the aforementioned structural systems by having (1) the front axle supporting a pair of air bags mounted proximate each front wheel, and (2) the rear axle having bird cages mounted adjacent each rear wheel over the wheel bearings and the air bags mounted on extensions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sprint cars and other open wheeled race cars typically use a swing arm suspension. A representative prior art view is shown in FIG. 3 of this application, wherein a rear axle 180 of a sprint car 18 has a carrier hub 310 connecting the suspension to the wheel. One end of the swing arms 140 and 350 is attached to a torsion bar 320, and the other end is attached to a means of supporting a wheel, such as a carrier hub 310 on a live axle or the axle itself on a fixed axle. The torsion bar 320 is typically housed within a tubing in the frame 330 shown in shadow. The carrier hub 310 is attached to a swing arm 140 which is connected to a torsion bar 320. If only one swing arm is utilized, the swing arm 140 may lead or trail its associated axle. Supplemental suspension linkages may be present for additional support to the axle 180.
Exemplary patents of various suspension systems include the following patents and patent application publications.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,453,388 issued on Nov. 9, 1948, to Arthur G. Schramm describing a wheel suspension for trailers comprising wheels suspended on arms controlled by levers sprung to provide resiliency, and the arms being arcuately adjustable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,733 issued on Nov. 13, 1962, to Bryan J. Morris describes an anti-roll vehicle suspension mechanism comprising a pair of cylindrical springs, a pair of levers pivotally connected to the chassis, axle and the springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,573 issued on Nov. 12, 1968, to Albert F. Hickman describes a vehicle spring suspension comprising an axle supporting a first arm fixed to a hub member or cross shaft. A second arm fixed to and projects radially from the hub member to bear compressively against a rubber body connected to the vehicle frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,908 issued on Jul. 9, 1974, to Rene Gouirand describing a suspension system using single or dual air bags having a tapered cross-section in the truck""s longitudinal direction and supported by an upper plate and a pair of lower lever members or axle supports. The air bags are pressurized by an air pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,764 issued on Jun. 22, 1976, to Erik G. Rickardsson describes an air spring axle assembly for a spring suspension and sway resistance of a vehicle chassis comprising a U-shaped frame as a box girder spring-mounted and supporting a wheel axle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,179 issued on Nov. 15, 1983, to Joseph A. Marinelli describes an axle and air bag suspension comprising a forward mounting portion and a front-to-rear trailing arm which has its forward end pivotally supported. The rear end portion of the arm is anchored to an axle by a bushed clamp sleeve. An air bag is mounted on a stationary mount portion. A Y-shaped stabilizer bar has its free ends pivoting from the forward chassis mount.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,932 issued on Dec. 6, 1983, to Paul W. Claar describes a front axle suspension system for a vehicle chassis comprising a first forward link and a second rearward link pivotally connected and extending down from the chassis and coupled to a third link. A spring and dampener mechanism interconnects the coupler link and chassis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,876 issued on Mar. 29, 1988, to Merle J. Heider et al. describes a leaf spring supplemented with a pressure controllable air bag supplying variable spring adjustment, variable ride height, and stationary levelling of a motor home.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,297 issued on Jun. 27, 1989, to Mitsuo Takahashi describes a wishbone suspension system comprising upper and lower suspension arms with each arm having one end pin-connected to the vehicle body, and a knuckle member connected to a wheel axle. A connecting rod is connected at one end to an intermediate portion of one of the suspension arms, and a bell crank lever having a first end pin-connected to the other end. A second end pin is connected to one end of the knuckle member and a bent portion between these first and second ends. The bent portion is pin-connected to the other end of the suspension arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,210 issued on Aug. 22, 1989, to Donovan B. Wallace et al. describes a trailing arm suspension with a fixed cup communicating with a movable piston air spring mounted by a clamp in lateral juxtaposed relationship to a terminal end of the trailing arm assembly. A track bar with bushed joints at both ends interconnects the frame and the axle housing to provide lateral stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,210 issued on May 8, 1990, to Merle J. Heider et al. describes a leaf spring in conjunction with an air bag for motorhome levelling. A pneumatic control system communicates with the air bag to control the bag pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,812 issued on Jan. 28, 1992, to Donovan B. Wallace et al. describes an air spring suspension system including trailing arms connecting the vehicle frame to a transverse beam connecting them with bushed articulating joints which permit the trailing arms to move with respect to each other. A stiffener arm is mounted at one end to each trailing arm by a bushed connection, and rigidly secured at the other end to the transverse beam. The system resists roll forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,907 issued on Nov. 30, 1993, to Ray Tostado describes a bolt on an auxiliary air bag suspension system, wherein the frame takes existing apertures provided in certain trucks, resulting in a removable supplemental suspension system that assists the factory suspension system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,246 issued on Sep. 13, 1994, to Cecil Lander et al. describes an air bag suspension system controller for adjustment of spring rates of an air bag coupled in parallel with a leaf spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,238 issued on Nov. 22, 1994, to Donald L. Stephens describes a trailing arm suspension system having a tapered arm at a pivoting end so as to reduce arm weight in conjunction with an air spring at the opposite end.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,871 issued on Dec. 27, 1994, to James L. Mitchell et al. describes a vehicle suspension system comprising a wide base beam and an axle shell. The beam is mounted for pivoting movement to a hanger and securely to a vehicle axle. The beam is constructed with a laterally widening base as it extends longitudinally from the pivot mounting to the axle, and with an axle shell securing the beam to the axle to reduce stress on the axle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,429 issued on Jul. 11, 1995, to Unkoo Lee describes a vehicle suspension system including a knuckle pivotally supporting a wheel with upper and lower control arms connecting upper and lower parts of the knuckle to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,497 issued on Dec. 17, 1996, to Cecil Lander et al. describes an air bag suspension controller system for automatic adjustment of spring rates of an air bag mechanically coupled in parallel with a leaf spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,110 issued on Jun. 17, 1997, to William C. Pierce et al. describes a trailing arm suspension for heavy duty vehicles comprising a fabricated beam of three pieces connected at two joints. A shock absorber bracket is integrally formed with the basic beam. A casting fixed in a preformed seat in the basic beam facilitates an axle connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,719 issued on Jul. 22, 1997, to Gareth A. Wallace et al. describes a weight-reducing, z-spring alternative in the form of an arm linkage and suspension system for heavy weight bearing vehicles featuring upper arms y-mounted to the frame sides and the axle center.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,544 issued on Jan. 27, 1998, to Reinhard Buhl describes an axle suspension for rigid vehicle axles comprising two longitudinal control arms connecting the vehicle body to the axle. A triangle pull rod is articulated to the axle and body centrally, and laterally offset. A stabilizer bar including a torsion spring bar counteracts lateral tilting by torsional stresses. The stabilizer bar is arranged directly between the longitudinal control arms, and its ends connected as a universal joint, but rotating in unison.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,859 issued on Jun. 16, 1998, to Corbett W. Nowell et al. describes a modular squatdown wheeled suspension system comprising air bags supported between pivoted bracket elements located adjacent the trailer wheels. An air supply system with an automatic locking arrangement allows the trailer deck to be lowered to a ground engaging position and raised back to the transport position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,198, issued on Jun. 1, 1999, to Ervin K. VanDenberg describes a center beam and air spring suspension system comprising a central beam having a mounting flange on each side and pivotally mounted to a suspension frame at one end and rigidly attached to an axle at the other end. A control arm is pivotally mounted to each mounting flange at one end, and to the suspension frame at the other end. The pivot connection of the central beam may have a constant or varying air spring rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,672 issued on Nov. 23, 1999, to Ervin K. VanDenberg describes an air spring suspension system with an integral box beam comprising the box beam welded around the axle and having a pair of axially aligned and spaced apart pivots which include air springs having horizontal, vertical and axial spring rates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,337 issued on Mar. 21, 2000, to Brian A. Urbach describes a vehicle suspension with a stroke-reducing linkage comprising a spring/damper assembly interposed between the control arm and the vehicle frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,861 issued on Jun. 6, 2000, to Jack D. Ecktman describes a bumper extension for use with a bumper on an air spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,583 issued on Jul. 18, 2000, to Erkki Taipale describes a vehicle stabilizer incorporating a torsion bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,614 issued on Jul. 25, 2000, to Tae-Hak Shin describes a structure for installing a conventional shock absorber for the rear suspension in a solar driven automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,039 B1 issued on Mar. 20, 2001, to Marvin J. Gordon describes an independent suspension system for a four-wheeled trailer with an improved vertical alignment and range of travel which includes air bags at each end of the axle beams.
Canadian Patent Application No. 492,516 published on May 5, 1953, for Ernest E. Smith et al. describes a suspension system with an inelastic yet flexible inflatable conduit providing an air cushion.
Netherlands Patent Application No. 7612-924 published on May 23, 1978, for Dr. S. Rosenthal describes a swing arm suspension system having an air spring with the wheel situated at a fulcral point. The air spring may have an auxiliary spring of the diabolo type inside.
German Patent Application No. 3934-238-A1 published on Apr. 18, 1991, for Audi AG (Heinz Hollerweger et al.) describes a vehicle wheel suspension with an elastically mounted wheel guide and having a first variable volume chamber acted on by lateral wheel forces to create an under-steer effect on the wheel. The first chamber is pressurized by a second variable volume chamber operated by lateral wheel forces. The two chambers can be incorporated into one unit with no separate components required.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, an air bag for sprint cars solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention relates to the field of vehicle suspension systems, specifically in the first two embodiments as an air bag spring-dampener on (1) a swing arm suspension with the spring-axle connected via a four-bar linkage and (2) two actuator arms and a rotating actuator shaft, wherein the air bag spring replaces traditional torsion bars or coil springs. These systems are particularly suitable for use on racing cars on dirt or rough surfaces, and more specifically, on an open wheeled sprint, midget, micro-sprint, mini-sprint, championship dirt car, micro-midget, super-modified, championship dirt car, and well-suited for heavier cars such as modified race cars. In competition, such race cars endure severe forces often resulting in loss of wheel to road surface contact, and resulting loss of traction, control and speed. A further refinement by a simplified third embodiment is presented having (1) the front axle supporting a pair of air bags mounted proximate each front wheel, and (2) the rear axle having bird cages mounted adjacent each rear wheel over the wheel bearings and the air bags mounted on extensions. An upper adjustable mount for the air bag having a clamp is welded onto the frame of a sprint car.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved lightweight suspension system for a racing vehicle on a dirt track.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved lightweight suspension system which is based on air springs mounted directly on the front axle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved lightweight suspension system which is based on air springs mounted on extensions proximate the rear axle inside bird cages.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved lightweight suspension system having an upper adjustable mount for the air spring with a clamp affixed to the frame.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.